Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune'I see that gold medal all the time,' Hornets point guard Chris Paul said of the reward he earned when the United States topped Spain in the gold- medal game of the Beijing Olympics last Au´gust. 'It changed my life a whole lot.'

In the nearly one year that has passed since Hornets guard Chris Paul helped the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team to "redeem" itself for its miserable performance in the 2004 Athens Games, Paul has had a daily reminder of the thrills he experienced in Beijing.

A golden one, at that.

"I see that gold medal all the time, " Paul said of the reward he earned when the United States topped Spain in the gold-medal game last August. "It changed my life a whole lot."

After the team arrived in Beijing, following two summers of preparation in 2006 and 2007 to first qualify for the Games, a necessary step because of the dismal showing in Athens in 2004 (a bronze medal), Paul seemed somewhat surprised at the status accorded the squad that also featured such world-renowned NBA stars as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade.

"We're like the Beatles over here, " Paul said at the time.

And on a team replete with talent, Paul, even though he came off the bench during the eight-game Olympic tournament, ranked third in minutes played (21.9 per game, 175 total) behind only James (24.8, 198) and Bryant (23.5, 199). No other U.S. players averaged more than 20 minutes during the two-week event.

Throughout the process, the U.S. team was driven to make amends for what happened to the men's team in Athens, which was upset on the road to the gold medal, which was eventually won by the Manu Ginobili-led squad from Argentina.

The 2008 U.S. group was dubbed "The Redeem Team, " a word play on the 1992 U.S. "Dream Team" comprised of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone, et. al, the first team made up of professional players who won the gold in the Barcelona Olympic Games.

The quest for the medal last year in Beijing, Paul said, was a group effort that still motivates him for his next NBA campaign, as well as the London Olympic Games three years hence.

"We're still running off that, " said Paul. "We'll still be playing next year to get ready for 2012. But after you play in something so big, and win a gold medal, every time you step out on the court, you feel like you're supposed to win. I can't wait for next season."

Catching up with Louisiana Olympians nearly one year after the Beijing Games

The excitement Paul brought back with him a year ago has yet to subside.

"I feel like this was probably the greatest experience of my life," he said last year upon returning to New Orleans. "It's something you can't describe. When you see everything that goes into the Olympics, you see all the villages and all the buildings that were built just for three weeks, it's crazy. And to know that I was a part of it is something no one can ever take away from me. Just like my medal."

Paul's contribution to the gold-medal effort was significant.

He averaged 8.0 points and 4.1 assists, coming off the bench to give international opponents a taste of what it was like to face the best point guard in the world.

In relief.

The U.S. team topped Spain 118-107 in the gold-medal game, with Paul running down a loose ball as time expired in the hopes of adding the rock to his personal memorabilia collection, to no avail as it was later secured by game officials.

Paul had 13 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals in the final game, and he was on the court at the final buzzer ahead of fellow point guards Jason Kidd and Deron Williams, though the bond between U.S. teammates, Paul said, was one he hadn't felt since junior basketball.

"Not since AAU," he said. "When I played AAU, we won a national championship. And we traveled so much . . . it was such a long journey. It was the same thing with the Olympics. We were together in (the summers of ) '06 and '07. All those different travels and games we played, they all accumulated to win the gold."

Paul said he did enjoy the totality of the Olympic experience and traveling to different athletic venues. The Opening Ceremonies and Michael Phelps' quest for eight gold medals stand out.

"We enjoyed it, and I have plenty of pictures that show that," Paul said. "I'll never forget it."

And as he rests this summer with newborn son Chris Emanual Paul II, his gold medal currently sits in a safe as Paul's New Orleans condo is renovated.

Paul said he might let his son handle the gold, but CPII won't be teething on it.